Wringer assembly



C l 1963 R. A. BRENNER ET. 3,105,377

WRINGER ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 22, 1962 5 sheets-sheet 2 N r i? BY [faim Je, (a Mm/Ml WY/@ZW ORNEYS Oct. 1, 1963 A R.. A. BRENNER ETAL 3,105,377

WRNGER ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 22, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet Oct. l, 1963 R. A. BRENNER Erm. 3,105,377

WRINGER ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 22, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 1, 1963 R. A. BRENNER ETAL 3,105,377

WRINGER ASSEMBLY Y Filed Jan. 22, 1962 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTUM aer J2 5706727267'l United States Patent O 3,195,377 WRINGER ASSEMBLY Robert A. Brenner and Ciifton A. Cobb, St. Joseph, Mich., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, St. .Ioseph, Mich., a corporation oi Delaware Filed Een. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,579 6 Claims. (Cl. 68-253) The present invention relates to improvements in home laundry equipment, and more specically, to wringer assemblies for washing machines.

In the past, wringers of home laundry washing machines have been operated by either leaf or coil springs. Such assemblies have the disadvantage that the pressure exerted on the clothing passing through the wringer is quite variable. Another disadvantage is the necessity of providing a relatively costly mechanism to apply and release the pressure on the wringer rolls.

The present invention is directed to an improved wringer assembly which eliminates these objectionable features since it provides a pneumatically operated wringer mechanism. The controlled air pressure characteristic of the system of the present invention not only provides a constant pressure of the wringer rolls on the clothes, but does so Without the necessity of providing cumbersome and heavy mechanism.

An yobject of the present invention is to provide an improved pneumatically operated wringer assembly for washing machines.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatically operated wringer mechanism in which the pressure ,applied between the wringer rolls can lbe automatically regulated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved pneumatically operated wringer roll assembly in which the pressure can be totally relieved very simply.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved wringer assembly operating under air pressure and eliminating the necessity of providing the cumbersome and heavy mechanism heretofore employed in laundry wringers.

In the system of the present invention, there is provided a small compressor which is driven by the drive system of the Washing machine. The compressor feeds an expansible bellows which is mechanically coupled to a frame assembly which supports the idler wringer roller in superimposed relation to the driven wringer roller. Means are also provided to control the maximum pressure which is exerted by the idler roller against the driven roller. The assembly is also provided with a simple bar type release mechanism to release the air pressure completely from the air line when the unit is not in use.

A further description of the present invention will be made in conjunction with the attached sheets of drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a plan view of the Wringer assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line II-II of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the wringer assembly with portions thereof broken away to illustrate the interior construction;

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of the Wringer assembly with only those portions included which deal with the pressure release mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational View of the assembly of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure control mechanism employed in the air system;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational View illustrating the pressure release mechanism when pressure is being applied to the wringer;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the assembly shown in FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the support assembly for the upper wringer roller.

As shown on the drawings:

In FIGURE l, reference numeral 10 indicates generally the improved wringer assembly of the present invention, including a lower driven wringer roller 11 and an upper idler wringer roller 12. The frame structure of the wringer assembly is provided with support portions 13 and 1li and a pair of C-shaped bearings 16 and 17 to rotatably support a shaft 18 extending from the lower wringer roller 11. With this arrangement, the lower roller 11 rests in the bearings 16 and 17 and can be lifted from the bearings without removing them.

The lower roller 11 is driven through a coupling 19 engaging one end of the shaft 18, the coupling being driven by a driving gear 21 which, in turn, is driven by either of a pair of gears 22 and 23 located on a drive shaft 24 having a splined end portion 26 for connection to the drive system of the washing machine. The shaft 24 also carried the conventional clutch assembly 27 movable into and out of driving engagement with the gears 22 and 23 to thereby rotate the wringer roller 11 in one or the other direction. It will be appreciated that the contiguously positioned first and second wringer rollers 11 and 12 are so arranged that rotation of superposed roller 12 is dependent upon rotation of driving roller l1.

The idler wringer roller 12 has a shaft 31 extending therefrom, each end of the shaft being received in a wringer bearing 32 which is positioned in a support block 33. The support block 33 is connected to a yoke structure 35 having spaced end portions 36 disposed within cylindrical guide housings 37, 38, 39 and 41 as best illustrated in FIGURES l and 9. Included within each of the cylindrical guide housings and in contact with end portions 36 of yoke 35 is a pressure expansible bellows 42 composed of a plastic material such as polyethylene. A driving connection is thereby provided between each of the engaging elements 36 and 42. The guide housings 37, 38, 39 and 41 prevent lateral expansion of bellows 42. Each of the yoke structures 35 has a linkage 43 which is pivotally connected to the support block 33 thereby providing a oating carriage for the upper idler roller 12 and permitting it to engage the driven roller 11 with a predetermined pressure, dependent upon the pressure in the bellows 42.

The air compressor is indicated generally at reference numeral 46 in the drawings. The compressor 46 includes a reciprocable piston 47 moving in a cylinder ed. The pist-on 4-7 includes a guide member 49 which is arranged to slide in a slotted track 51 best illustrated in FIGURE l of the drawings. The guide 49 is pulled through the track 51 by means of a crank 52 arranged to rotate about a pivot pin 53. A gear 54 is liXedly secured to the pivot pin 53 and is driven from the shaft `24% by means of a gear 56. To accommodate the sliding movement of the guide i9 within the track 511, the icompressor body 56- is pivotaily -mounted to the frame by means of a cylindrical pin 57 contained within a :sleeve type bearing 58 mounted in a lower frame member 59. A spring member 61 and a snap ring `62, separated -by a bearing material 63, hold the end of the bearing 58 snugly in its seat.

Thus, when the shaft 24 is rotating, the crank 52 rotates about the pivot pin 53. 'I'his action draws the piston 47 in and out of the cylinder 48 and also causes the guide means 49 to ride along the track 571. Since the guide means 49 is coniined to travel within the slot, the compressor body 55 pivots about the pin 57 so that the piston head 47 moves in and out of the cylinder 48 in a straight line. Y

To complete the description yof the structure on 151G- URE 2, the assembly may also include a conventional tray 66 located below the wringer roller, and a detent 67 controlled by -a spring 63 to position the wringer assembly adjustably with respect to the washing machine.

lie pressure control system is best illustrated by FIG- URBS 2 and 6 of the drawings. The air is brought in through an intake 71 by the reciprocation of piston 47 within the cylinder' 4S and then passes through a passageway 72 and then through a check valve provided by a ball 73 seated on an O-ring 74 by the action of a spring 76. The air then passes into an opening 77 which communicates with the interior of the :cylinder 48. On the compression stroke of the piston 47, the air is forcedrout through openings 7 3 past a ball check valve 79 which is normally seated on an O-ring 81 by the action of a coil spring 82. This results in the flow of air into a passage 83 from which the air can flow in two directions. When the pressure of the air is suiciently high, the pressure in the passage S3 will be suiiicient to unseat a check valve S4 which is ynormally closed by the action of a spring 86, and the upward movement of the check valve 8ewill unseat the ball 73, causing a pressure relief through the opening 77 on the compression stroke of the piston. Consequently, air will be exhausted through the intake 71.

The second portion of the air continues through a passage 87 to a bore 8S (see FIGURE 2) provided in the space above the pivot pin 57. The air then flows through an axial bore S9* formed in the pivot pin 57 and thence to a T passage 9.1. From the T passage 91, the air is introduced through `feed lines 92 and 93 into the air cylinders 39 and '41 respectively, and through another feed line (not shown) into lines 94 and 96 which communicate with the air cylinders 37 and 38 respectively. Thus, when the air pressure is built up to the predetermined value, the bellows 42 in each of the cylinders expand, lforcing their supporting yokes 35 downwardly, thereby pulling the upper Wringer roller 12 against the driven roller 11 with a constant pressure.

The assembly is also provided with means for cornpletely releasing the air from the air system and thereby relieving the pressure between the two wringer rollers. To this end, an air line 1&1 from the compressor output is connected to a release valve '162. The release valve 162 is opened by rotation of a disc 103 having camming surfaces thereon which engage the valve stem on the -release valve 102, as illustrated in `FIGURE 3. The disc 103 is arranged to :rotate with a shaft 104, and a spring 196 normally urges the disc 1&3 into valve-opening position. Shaft 1134 has attached to it ian eccentrically located pin 118` which shifts the clutch assembly 27 into driving engagement with roller r11 when shaft 164 is oscillated. Therefore, when disc 1&3 returns to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the air from the air lines and the bellows is vented ofi and the rollers a-re relieved of their pressure engagement. Also, pin 118 shifts clutch assembly 27 so that the driving engagement to bottom roller l1v1 is discontinued simultaneously.

When, however, the disc v103 is rotated to a position lof 90 in either direction from that shown in FIGURE 3, as, for example, the position shownV in FIGURE 7 of the drawings, yone of a pair of catch members 107 and 16S, located 180 apart on the surface of the disc 163 engages a notch 169 in a clip 11 supported on a resilient spring arm 110, allow-ing the camming portion of the disc 103 to clear the valve stem on the relief valve N2, thereby allowing pressure to build up in the bellows.

When the operator wishes to release the pressure from the wringer rollers, he merely applies a force in either direction =to a relief bar 113, the latter acting through a linkage 114 which pivots around a pivot pin 115. The bottom portion of the linkage y115i is connected to a rod 1116 so that its end portion 117, connected to the clip 111, disengages the catch 107 or 108 from the notch 109,

d whereupon the spring 196 returns the disc y16?; into the position shown in I-GURE 3, and releases the air from the system.

it should be evident that various modiications can be made Ito the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property -or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A wringer assembly comprising:

a drivable wringer roller,

a second wringer roller contiguously positioned relative to said drivable wringer roller,

a frame supporting said second wringer roller in adjustable relation with respect to said drivable wringer roller,

a plurality of pressure expansible bellows engaging said frame to position said second Wringer roller with a predetermined pressure against said drivable roller,

supply means for delivering compressed fluid to said bellows,

drive means for rotating said drivable wringer roller,

manually operable control means for controlling said drive means,

and valve means controlled by said manually operable control means for controlling delivery of compressed iluid from said supply means to each of said bellows.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said manually operable control means controls said drive means and said valve means simultaneously.

3. A ywringer assembly comprising:

a first roller,

a second roller in spaced relation to said rst roller,

a frame supporting said second roller for movement relative to said rst roller,

a plurality of pressure expansible bellows engaging said frame to position said second roller with a predetermined pressure against said iirst rollers,

supply means for delivering compressed Huid to said bellows,

drive means for rotating said rst roller,

valve means in said supply means for controlling delivery of compressed fluid from said supply means to each of said bellows,

and manually operable control means for controlling said drive means and said valve means simultaneously.

4. A wringer assembly comprising:

a iirst roller,

a second roller in spaced relation to said rst roller,

a movable yoke at each end of said second roller for supporting said second roller therebetween,

an expansible bellows on each yoke for mOving said second roller into pressure applying relationship with said rst roller,

drive means for rotating said first roller, manually operable control means for controlling said drive means,

supply means for delivering compressed iluid to each of said bellows to position said second roller against saidV lirst roller,

and valve means controlled by said manually operable control means for controlling delivery of compressed uid from said supply means to each of said bellows.

5. A wringer assembly comprising:

a rst roller,

a second roller in spaced relation to said first roller,

a movable yoke at each end of said second roller for supporting said second roller therebetween,

an expansible bellows on each yoke for moving said second roller into pressure applying relationship with said rst roller,

an air compressor arranged to be driven from the same source as said irst roller,

conduit means connecting the output of said compressor with each of said bellows,

pressure relief means interposed in said conduit means for bleeding oft" air from said conduit means when the pressure within said conduit means exceeds a predetermined value,

and pressure release means in said conduit means for releasing entirely the pressure in said conduit means.

6. A wringer assembly comprising:

a first roller,

drive means for rotating said iirst roller,

a second roller in spaced relation to said first roller,

a movable yoke at each end of Vsaid second `roller for supporting said second roller therebetween,

a pair of expansible bellows on each yoke for moving said second roller into pressure applying relationship with said rst roller,

an air compressor arranged to be driven from the same source as said driven roller,

conduit means connecting the output of said compressor with each of said bellows,

pressure relief means interposed in said conduit means for bleeding off air from said conduit means when the pressure Within said conduit means exceeds a predetermined value,

pressure release means in said conduit means for releasing entirely the pressure in said conduit means,

and a manually operable control means for controlling said drive means and said pressure release means simultaneously.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,894,594 Lewis Jan. 17, 1933 1,925,949 Case Sept. 5, 1933 2,030,257 Hume Feb. l1, 1936 2,638,819 Hornbostel May 19, 1953 2,851,869 Quoos et al Sept. 16, 1958 FOREGN PATENTS 1,157,737 France Dec. 30, 1957 

1. A WRINGER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A DRIVABLE WRINGER ROLLER, A SECOND WRINGER ROLLER CONTIGUOUSLY POSITIONED RELATIVE TO SAID DRIVABLE WRINGER ROLLER, A FRAME SUPPORTING SAID SECOND WRINGER ROLLER IN ADJUSTABLE RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID DRIVABLE WRINGER ROLLER, A PLURALITY OF PRESSURE EXPANSIBLE BELLOWS ENGAGING SAID FRAME TO POSITION SAID SECOND WRINGER ROLLER WITH A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE AGAINST SAID DRIVABLE ROLLER, SUPPLY MEANS FOR DELIVERING COMPRESSED FLUID TO SAID BELLOWS, DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRIVABLE WRINGER ROLLER, MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID DRIVE MEANS, AND VALVE MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING DELIVERY OF COMPRESSED FLUID FROM SAID SUPPLY MEANS TO EACH OF SAID BELLOWS. 